I am envious! My daughter, Jukebox, finished the trail in 2009 at age 18. It has been my dream to thru-hike for several years but I have only been able to section hike. I did manage to do a few sections with her including her finish at Springer Mountain.

And if you really want to be southern all-y’all need to be safe and have a good time!!

What a fantastic family! I wish you luck on your AT hike. I was just ahead of you on the PCT in Oregon. I was hiking with Wired at that time. I remember seeing notes on the trail written for Sunshine to pick up. I'm sure they were notes saying how amazing she is.

Re: Cuben rain chaps--I scuffed holes in mine at the inner ankles within a day or 2. You might want to reinforce the bottom or rig a strap closure. I had Dirty Girl gaiters but the chaps always slid out after a short time.

Kudos to you both for the Active Water endorsement, for "walkin' the talk!"

I met you 2 on the PCT last year just north of Crater Lake NP, and the renowned Billy Goat just 20 minutes later. I'm not a big blog follower, but it has been such a pleasure keeping up with you 2. I'm so delighted you're continuing on with your spirited forays!

We are excited to follow your journey once more. I ended up reading your PCT account as bedtime stories to our girls and they simply ate it up. They will be thrilled to follow you on the AT as they are inspired for their own hikes by your steady stories. May God bless your every step.

How exciting! I won't be able to follow your progress online, but hope to meet you on the trail, when you pass me. I'm starting 3/30 from Standing Bear Farm. N of the Smokies, And will also be traveling N, though at a slower pace. So if you pass an older lady with wooden hiking poles and wearing a Macabi Skirt and Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat, please stop me to chat. If we're in camp, Sunshine can try out my hammock.I was very impressed by your PCT hike.

I had a great time reading about your adventures on the PCT and am excited to read about your experiences on the AT. I spent a week on it over spring break and every single thru-hiker I met was an awesome person -- the trail is a lot more beautiful than I expected (coming from a west-coaster who hadn't hiked on the AT until a year ago).

Do you have a blog that you'll be updating or will all of your updates be posted as articles on BPL?

Kudos to both of you! When I told my son about the long trails of this country, his reaction was "we could go backpacking and camping for four months straight!". I'll be sure to share this story with him.

Quick question - how did you work out Sunshine's schoolwork while she's on the trail? I'd like for Mickey and I to do a long trail at some point. If you have any tips on negotiating that, I'd be interested.

Good question Kier. Oregon requires a child to be enrolled in a school or Homeschool program. We contacted our local state education district and enrolled her as a Homeschool student only for the months on the trail. But she returns to public school the rest of the year. We worked with her teachers to see their recomendations as to what she should study on the trail. They even provided work sheets for us to put into our resuply packages. Last year, she started public school ahead of many students even though she was a month late. Contact the office in your area that governs home school requirements and see what you need to do to make this happen. You will never regret it!Thanks for following us,Balls and Sunshine

"Sunshine Prepares for the Appalachian Trail"
on 03/30/2012 06:19:03 MDT

Good Luck and enjoy the trail!

School work is mostly learning about things that are interesting. The AT is certainly one with lots of history available. Bugs are not real bad, but can get annoying, nothing like black fly season in the North East or ADK's. Ticks, and Lyme disease, are a problem with many authorities predicting a difficult year. (My wife picked up Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever on our trip, about the same time frame. We spent a couple days getting her tested and getting an anti-biotic. Odd, but, hey...that *is* a trail.) If you can get a couple days to spend in washington, the Smithsonian has excelent natural history departments. Along with coverment visitations...Well worth the stop even if they don't let you climb the Washington Monument anymore.

Yeah, vitamins, and minerals are somthing that is often missed with dehydrated foods. Especialy, the "fresh" vitamins...folic acid, vitamin-C, etc. You sound like you have it well in hand. I would suggest picking up some fresh ruits/veggies as you leave town...pills and mixes are never the same. Use care with water sources, the AT passes through several populated places. Chemical, filters and even boiling does not clean the water in a lot of these.